German Chancellor Angela Merkel told President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday (23 May) of her “deep concern” over the state of democracy in Turkey and voiced doubt that a plan to offer Turks visa-free travel to the EU would be implemented on time.

Merkel’s blunt comments after highly sensitive talks with Erdoğan on the sidelines of the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul revealed the extent of surging tensions between the EU and the Turkish strongman over human rights.

The German leader took aim at a law that critics believe is aimed at evicting pro-Kurdish lawmakers from parliament and stressed to Erdoğan that a democracy needed “an independent judiciary, an independent press and a strong parliament”.

“Of course, the lifting of the immunity of one quarter of the deputies is a source of deep concern. I expressed this to the Turkish president and we discussed these questions very openly,” she said.

“Not all my questions have been answered, we will have to watch developments closely.”

Turkey’s parliament on Friday (20 May) adopted a highly controversial bill that would lift immunity for dozens of MPs.

The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) fears the legislation is aimed directly against its lawmakers.

The move could see dozens of HDP deputies facing criminal prosecution and losing parliamentary seats on accusations of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency in the southeast.

Turkey’s prime minister will tell world leaders next week that Ankara can play a key role in stopping a spread of terrorism, including Islamic State, but expected understanding for its own battle against Kurdish militants.

Merkel added that she had not kept quiet about increasing concerns over the growing prosecution of journalists in Turkey, sometimes on charges of insulting Erdoğan, and an erosion of freedom of expression.

In their effort to stem the refugee crisis, the EU has betrayed Turkish journalists and ordinary citizens, who have courageously stood up to the authoritarian plans of the government, journalistic organisations said yesterday (15 December).

Erdoğan made no comment after the talks, and, tellingly, Merkel made her remarks not beside the Turkish president but later to her domestic press at the German consulate.

The Turkish president had earlier used his speech at the summit to complain Western states were not shouldering a sufficient burden in humanitarian crises.

And underscoring the tensions between Turkey and the EU, an Erdoğan advisor warned that all accords with the bloc were now in danger.

“They should know that Turkey will make very radical decisions very soon as long as they maintain their attitude,” Yigit Bulut told state-run TRT Haber television.

Doubts are increasingly emerging over a deal for Turkey to limit the flow of migrants to Europe in exchange for incentives including visa-free travel to the passport-free Schengen area for its citizens by the end of June.

EU leaders are insisting that Turkey abides by 72 conditions before the visa exemption takes place, with a demand to change counter-terror laws proving particularly contentious.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday (7 May) accused European nations of hypocrisy in pressing his country on terror laws while “sidelining democracy” at home in their own fight against terrorism.

The EU wants Ankara to narrow its definition of terror to stop prosecuting academics and journalists for publishing “terror propaganda”.

And Merkel warned the target was slipping.

“It is likely that by 1 July, certain things won’t be put in place. In other words, the visa exemption (will not be granted), as some conditions will not have been fulfilled.

“I said clearly that the path towards the removal of the visa demand is based on 72 points which are not new and were presented in December 2013 by the European Union.”

‘End the confusion’

EU capitals have also been unsettled by the sudden resignation this month of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who was widely seen in Brussels as a more amenable figure than the combative Erdoğan.

Davutoğlu was the main driving force behind the visa deal, with Erdoğan always sounding more downbeat about the accord’s prospects.

The recent tensions are also hanging over the wider question of Turkey eventually becoming a member of the 28-nation EU.

With Turkish accession to the EU looming as an issue in Britain’s referendum on leaving, British Prime Minister David Cameron had quipped at the weekend it may take until the year 3000 before Ankara joins.

Incoming Turkish prime minister Binali Yıldırım, a close Erdoğan ally, has said it was time to “end the confusion” on Turkey’s accession process.

Turkey’s ruling party named a loyal ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the new prime minister yesterday (19 May), with the incoming premier immediately vowing to “work in total harmony” with the strongman leader.

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Ah! the Empress of Europe has spoke again! I say Empress because that who she obviously thinks she is, she is just a GERMAN politician and does not speak for everyone! She should shut her mouth as she’s already caused enough damage by opening it. She should be put in her place, she may speak for Germany but she does not speak for the rest of Europe and the decision to allow Turkey anything will be a joint one and one I hope is never made. To listen to this woman anyone would think its all on her shoulders and… Read more »

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Jay

24/05/2016 21:57

By whose authority is the German Chancellor speaking about visa-free travel to the passport-free Schengen area? is Angela the spokeswoman for Juncker and the EU Commission now? One of those backroom deals I suppose.

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Arayik Sargsyan

26/05/2016 15:41

Arayik Sargsyan: About a geopolitical situation around Nagorno-Karabakh. Expert assessment of Academy of Geopolitics. On May 20, the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden called the president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and discussed with them results Vienna (on May 16, Vienna, the capital of Austria) meetings, having noted importance of the arrangement on a meeting of both presidents planned in June. That was discussed on April 7 and proceeded on May 20, it isn’t known! It is known that on April 7 D. Medvedev went from Yerevan to Baku then hearings… Read more »